POVERTY AND PROPERTY CRIME - THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF POPULATION-SIZE AND CONCENTRATION

Motivation theories suggest a positive association between poverty and property crime, while opportunity theories suggest a negative or null association. Research on the association of poverty to property crime has yielded inconsistent and conflicting results. It is proposed that poverty his a greater effect on property crime in areas of larger population size and concentration than it does in areas of smaller and less concentrated populations. This difference may help resolve past conflicting results. Data from the County and City Data File showed that poverty has virtually no effect on property crime in smaller cities in areas of low population concentration, a moderate effect in all cities in areas of greater population concentration, and a large effect in larger cities in areas of high population concentration. This may be due to the poverty in areas of high population concentration in larger cities resulting in the formation of a deviant subculture.